


Making Things Right

by Steakhouse_Fries



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alphys as adopted sister, Dad W. D. Gaster, Drama, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-12-24
Updated: 2015-12-29
Packaged: 2018-05-08 19:24:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 8,907
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5510105
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Steakhouse_Fries/pseuds/Steakhouse_Fries
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Sans was 14, his father came home from work with a lizard, proudly proclaimed her to be his new apprentice, before conking out on the couch for eight hours. They went on to destroy the world. Well, kind of.<br/>It's a complicated situation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Skeleton Boy meets Lizard Girl

A very popular teenage skeleton sat on the couch in the living room, cellphone in hand. “Yeah, I'll be there in a jiffy. Yeah.” A big snowball fight in the woods was brewing, and as the best shot in Snowdin, Sans most definitely wanted in on that action. “Yeah, I'm just waiting on Mrs. Drake to turn up. Said she'd take care of Pap while I'm out, so that's snow problem, right?” Sans' expression turned very grim. “N-no, I didn't steal that off anyone's act, shut up.”

Then, the lights flickered, and all electronics in the house, along with those in the rest of Snowdin, shut down for the sixth time that day. Sans sat in the darkness and waited for a few moments. Two, three. The lights then turned back on as the CORE came back to life, resurrecting the phone lines. Sans re-dialed Doggo's number. “Yeah, it's me again. Yup, another blackout. Oh, Pap's fine, even he's managed to get used to 'em. Mmhm. Mmhm.” Sans eyelids lowered. “Hey, the doc's doing his best, alright? Lay off, man.”

Sans heard a click and a creak as the front door opened. As if on cue, a tall, gangly skeletal man wearing a white lab coat over an old black two-piece suit dragged himself in, a large bright-red rucksack brimming with items of interest weighing heavily on his back. “Actually, hold that thought. He's making one of his famous surprise visits.”

The man in the coat was the royal scientist and CORE creator, Doctor Wingdin Gaster 'Just call me Gaster' Serif. Sans, still holding his phone, cupping a hand over the receiver, swung himself upright. “Back again for your legally mandated break, doc?”

The doctor, standing by the still-open door, turned his head to Sans, his almost catlike eyesockets half-closed. “Yes. Well. You know Asgore. Very troublesome, very...” As he trailed off, he removed the rucksack off his person, carefully placing it on the floor.

With a light chuckle, Sans stepped to the doctor, before noticing something amiss. Hiding behind the doctor was a little yellow reptilian monster, maybe half Sans's admittedly short height, wearing an even rattier small grey dress, with stripes so faded they were barely visible. The cracked pair of glasses on her snout seemed slightly too small, as well. She was shivering as she clung to the doctor's right hand as if for dear life. Sans would've raised an eyebrow, had he any, but his change in expression as he stared down this newcomer made the girl tug on the doctor's arm.

To this, the doctor responded by a sudden “Oh yes!” as his eyes shot open, his white pupils finally coming into view. “This is...!” He looked at Sans, then at the newcomer, then back at Sans, before crouching down until he was on the lizard's head level, placing a gloved hand on her head. “This is Sans. I've told you about him. Don't worry, he is very nice,” he explained. She nodded nervously, and looked upon Sans with wide eyes.

Climbing back to a full stance, towering over both of the other two monsters, the doctor walked next to Sans. “And this, Sans, this...” Sans watched the girl's head follow the doctor, a dopey smile on her face, her teeth clattering as she held her hands together on her stomach. Gaster suddenly placed his hand on Sans' shoulder, causing him to give a small yelp as he turned to face the doctor, who was beaming. “This is Alphys. She is, is, my new apprentice.”

Sans blinked, and responded with a quick “Huh!?” He quickly turned back to the lizard girl, apparently named Alphys, who recoiled back in response with a high-pitched hiccup. “Doctor, where did you even find this girl?”

Gaster, halfway on his way to the couch, nodded as he kept on his way. “Oh, from New Home, yes, New Home. Lucky coincidence.” He yawned through his nose. “For now, if you could, please welcome her in. She'll be living with us from now on.”

Some New Home city-slicker? By a lucky coincidence? Living with us!? “Are you serious!?” exclaimed Sans, shocked.

The doctor stopped for just a moment. “Huh, huh, huh...” Three very deep, dark chuckles that brought tingles down Sans' spine. “No, Sans.” The room went completely quiet as the doctor finally practically tripped over himself onto the couch, face first, clothes and all, head buried into a pillow, and gave two last words, in the most serious voice he could muster with what little strength he had left in his tired old body: “I'm dad.” Sans groaned pleadingly, but to no avail. The doctor was already snoring softly.

The doctor now completely incapacitated for the near foreseeable future, Sans, with a shaking hand, placed his phone back at his head. “Uh, sorry 'bout that, Doggo. Turns out I can't show up. Something came up. Yeah. Yeah, I know, sorry. See ya.” Sans returned his attention to the still-shivering girl in front of him that had succesfully wasted his entire evening. Tiny, beady eyes behind her glasses. Serious overbite. Awful posture. Smells like oil and garbage. Hasn't even said a word yet, like she thinks she's better than everybody else. How'd SHE get the doctor's attention, let alone become his new apprentice, as if one wasn't good enough? Something didn't add up here, thought Sans.

Sans sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Welp. Guess I'll be dealing with this, now,” he muttered, not even attempting to hide his annoyance, his permanent smile a sardonic one. The girl, who had by now grown very pale, continued to shiver as she stared down at the floor. The door behind her was still open, Snowdin Town plainly visible. “You mind at least closing the door?”

Alphys tensed up, before slowly turning her head to the door. “O-oh,” she managed to utter. “I-I'm s-sorry,” she continued, with a mild lisp and in a quiet, mousy voice. She placed her hand on the door, and slowly pushed it in place.

As the front door slammed shut, a door upstairs swung open. A shrill shout of “DAD, IS THAT YOU?” rang out across the house from a young skeleton boy with no indoor voice. Tiny, rapid footsteps could be heard as Sans' little brother ran down the stairs, wearing a red-and-blue striped shirt, a pair of blue shorts, and an excited grin that quickly vanished with an “OH...” when he noticed his father conked out on the sofa.

Sans couldn't help but smile at his younger brother. “Sorry, Pap. The doc needs his power naps.” 

“BUT, SANS! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED LAST TIME HE CAME TO VISIT! AND THAT WAS OVER A WEEK AGO!” Papyrus stamped his foot in frustration.

Sans pat his brother's head. “Papyrus, as soon as they fix the CORE, he'll get to go on vacation, right? So let's just be patient.” Papyrus grumbled something in response. Sans figured he'd get over it. Pap is nothing if not hardy.

Then, Papyrus noticed the lizard girl quivering by the door. Before Sans had the opportunity to say anything to dissuade him, Pap had already shouted a hearty “HELLO!” before running up to her, taking her hand. “I HAVEN'T SEEN YOU BEFORE! I'M PAPYRUS! I'M SEVEN YEARS OLD! I LIVE AT DAD'S HOUSE!”

Alphys looked at the small smiling skeleton with shock, before she finally managed a genuine smile. “H-hello. I-I'm Alphys,” she said, her name coming out as 'Alfith' through her lisp. She swallowed. “I-I'm t-ten. A-and I l-live on-” She cut herself off, shaking her head, before continuing. “I live at N-New H-Home.”

Papyrus' already massive grin somehow grew even wider. “WOWIE! YOU'RE FROM THE CAPITAL!? THAT'S WAY NEATO!” Alphys sheepishly looked away, her free hand on her cheek. She was still shivering, her skin a pale yellow. “UM, ARE YOU COLD?” asked Papyrus, a worried expression on his face. Alphys' smile vanished, and she nodded. “YOU SHOULD HAVE JUST SAID SO!” He ran up to the opposite wall, dragging Alphys along to the radiator, and sat her down, placing her hands on it. The sudden warmth made her body tingle. “IS THAT ANY BETTER? I DUNNO IF IT IS. I DON'T HAVE SKIN.”

Alphys stuttered something, before nodding. “Y-yeah. U-um, thank you.”

Sans inwardly cursed his brother's naiveté as Papyrus sat down next to the girl, smiling, before excitedly launching a barrage of questions. “UH, WHAT'S THE CAPITAL LIKE? IS IT COOL? HOW BIG IS YOUR HOUSE?”

Alphys' teeth continued to clatter, as she looked at the excited skeleton boy closing in on her face. As she tried to think of what to say, Sans walked up to her, standing between her and the wall. “Yeah, Alph. Why dontcha tell us a bit about yourself?”

Alphys inhaled deeply, then exhaled. “U-um. Y-yeah, it's a n-nice place. E-everyone's nice there. My house is...” She stopped, before wildly waving her hands. “R-REALLY big! A-and w-we have, um. W-we have...” She stopped again. Not much for conversation, this girl, thought Sans, but he had heard enough. Some rich girl from New Home, coming in thinking she's all that.

“And what didya do to, uh.” Sans waved his hand in the unconscious Gaster's direction. “Get the doc to make you apprentice? Because, I mean...” He pointed at himself with his thumb, closing his eyes, looking very smug. “He's already got one, right here.”

Alphys' spines perked up. “O-oh! Oh, um... Y-yeah, Mr. Serif told me a-about you." She crossed her fingers as she began to recite. “Um, Mr. Serif said t-that, uh, you're r-really smart! A-and talented, and, and, f-funny, an-and that we'd be, uh...” She gave Sans a sheepish glance. “Good fr-friends?” Sans rolled his eyes. As if.

Before Sans had the chance to vocalize this, Papyrus interrupted with a “WHAT'S DAD SAY ABOUT PAPYRUS?”

Alphys inhaled deeply. “He s-said, tha-that Papyrus is, he's...” “He's re-really gentle a-and giving and strong and gr-great, e-even if he's a bl-blockhead,” Alphys listed, before stopping herself cold. “S-sorry.”

As Sans was about to tear into Alphys for calling Papyrus a blockhead, even if he totally was, the skeleton in question, blushing, responded with a “WOWIE! THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HUH?” Sans sighed. He was going to go around calling himself that for a while, wasn't he?

Sans looked down at the sitting lizard, who in turn looked up, her smile fading as he glared at her. “Okay, that's all well and good, but it doesn't really answer my question.”

Alphys ummed. “I-I messed around w-with s-some stuff.” She pointed at the rucksack that was still sitting by the door. “Mr. S-Serif said that i-it was i-important and he t-took it, um, here.”

Sans stared at the doctor, as Gaster continued to drool onto the pillow. Figures that the old man would get razzled and dazzled by some kid's science fair project her parents probably made. He's been busy, he's been tired, so of course you'd have some people like that trying to take advantage of him. Sans silently walked up to the rucksack, and tried to pick it up with one hand before having to settle for two. It was actually much heavier than he had expected, but he nonetheless carried it to the middle of the room.

Sans then opened the bag up, and took a peek inside. He was surprised to find a set of electronics inside, and managed to pull out a small laptop, a VHS player, an old, very small and beat up TV and various other small knicknacks, and finally, a somewhat large and heavy boxy contraption he couldn't quite figure out. Each was accompanied by a “WOWIE!” from Papyrus. 

Sans sat down and watched Papyrus excitedly look over each contraption, and gave Alphys a quizzical look. “So, didja build these, or what?”

“YEAH, DIDJA?” added Papyrus.

Alphys played with her fingers. “U-um... N-no, I j-j-just, uh...” She turned her attention to the mystery machine. “I b-built that. T-the other stuff, I j-just, uh, made... Work...”

As the lizard began to mumble, Sans took a closer look at the machines he had laid out on the floor. Didn't look like any brands he knew, and they didn't have any magic-compliant plugs, thus most likely making them human machine. He then turned his attention to the metallic box. He could see a few sockets for electric plugs, not the magical kind, but the kind that humans use. Could this be... “What is this, a generator?”

Alphys clicked her tongue. “A-actually, it's a...” She tried to find the word. “It's a, um...” She held her eyes shut, waving her hands in the air, trying to figure out how to explain what the machine was. However, she was then rudely interrupted by a knock on the door. Oh, right. Oh, crap.

“SANS, ARE WE GONNA HAVE MORE GUESTS OVER?” asked Papyrus. Sans gave an err as another knock rang out, and Sans stood up from the mess on the living room floor before walking up to the door and pulling it open.

Just outside stood Mrs. Drake, a white-feathered birdlike monster, with kind eyes and a motherly smile, carrying a small blue bundle of fluff with bird feet and a beaky face under her right wing. “Hello, Sans!” She turned her head to her baby. “Say hello to Sans, Snowy.”

Snowy responded with a soft “Weh.”

“Ah, hey there, Mrs. Drake,” Sans begun, sweating. “Uh, sorry, but there's a bit of a situation developing here, so, uh, you might want to just get back home.”

Mrs. Drake gave Sans a worried glance. “Well, I can't very well just leave you and Papyrus in trouble, can I?” She then stomped right in, practically walking over Sans as she did.

As Mrs. Drake walked in, she saw Gaster completely asleep on the couch, two children, one familiar one rummaging through half-broken electronics, and one unfamiliar one huddling against the radiator while shivering. She furrowed her brow. “Is she your situation, Sans?” Sans nodded grievously.

As Alphys tried to look away from the drake, slightly cowering, Papyrus, on the other hand, shouted a hearty “HELLO, AUNTY DRAKE!”

Mrs. Drake answered with a smile, before turning to Sans. “Sans, take Snowy for a second, will you?” She asked, before forcefully handing Snowy to him.

Snowy responded with a sharp “Weh,” and began to dig into Sans' shirt with his beak. Sans was uncomfortable with the whole situation.

Mrs. Drake then strolled on over to the two children, before crouching down next to Alphys. “Oh, you look like you're freezing.” Alphys seemed to look even further away. “You can call me Aunt Drake. You don't have to be scared of me, not at all.”

Papyrus, noticing Alphys trying to retreat, decided to speak for her. “THIS IS ALPHYS! SHE'S TEN AND FROM NEW HOME AND SHE MAKES COOL STUFF,” he listed without missing a beat. Alphys gave an embarrassed giggle with a hushed snort.

Mrs. Drake nodded. “Alphys, is it? Alright, Alphys, how did you get here?” Alphys' giggle petered out, and she made a humming noise, as if something was forcing her jaw shut.

“The doctor brought her with him when he got home,” Sans interjected. “Told me she was his new apprentice, whatever that means, and that she'd be living here now.”

Mrs. Drake looked upon the amazing snoring Gaster, her expression becoming very serious. “I see.” She then stroked the lizard's cheek, trying to gauge just how cold she was. “Sans, how much was she wearing when the doctor brought her in?”

Sans tried to shrug, but was too busy dealing with Snowy, who was now picking at his chin. “Just that raggedy dress she's wearing, ma'am.”

Mrs. Drake groaned. “Yes, of course.” She then stood up, took great care to not trip over anything while making his way to the red rucksack lying in the center of the room. “This is all Gaster brought back today?” Sans nodded. “Alright, let's see.” Sans waddled over, taking great care to not drop the bundle of joy currently grasping one of his ribs with his talons, and peeked inside with her. With all the electronics out, all that was left was an old toothbrush, some tools, a few books and a set of VHS tapes. Certainly no change of clothes, let alone ones appropriate for the Snowdin climate.

Mrs. Drake let out a sad hum as she rubbed her forehead with her wing. “Is this all you brought with you, Alphys?” She asked with a gentle voice.

“U-um,” Alphys stuttered. “Mr. S-Serif said that, u-um, that it was, uh, i-important, that we, uh, g-got here quick, s-so I, only packed the, uh...” She pointed her head at the floor, her voice becoming quieter by the word. “T-the, uh, most important stuff.” Mrs. Drake clicked her tongue, and Alphys lurched over slightly. “I-I'm sorry.” This lizard sounded completely pathetic, thought Sans. Apparently, so did Mrs. Drake, as she settled back down in front of Alphys, placing her wings on her shoulders..

“You don't have to apologize for anything, Alphys,” she told her gently. “What you need right now is something in your tummy and a warm bath. Does that sound good?” Alphys was quiet for a few second, before giving a quiet mm-hm. “Alright.” The bird let go, turning to Papyrus. “Papyrus, why don't you and Alphys go up to your room? It's warmer up there than down here.”

Papyrus stood up straight in attention with a proud nyeh-heh-heh. “YES, MA'AM, AUNTIE DRAKE, MA'AM! THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAS GOT THIS!” Sans cursed his own precognitive skills while Snowy tore a hole in his shirt. Papyrus once again, took Alphys' hand. “COME ON! I'LL SHOW YOU ALL MY NEAT TOYS AND STUFF!” Alphys suddenly seemed very excited, a wide smile growing on her face as Papyrus dragged her upstairs.

After she heard the door shut close, Mrs. Drake closed her eyes and sighed deeply. “Darn idiot brought a lizard to Snowdin and didn't even think to...” She looked upon Sans with sad eyes. “Did your father tell you anything else about her?”

“Only what I just told you,” Sans plainly stated despite the tiny wing up his nose.

“Alright.” The white-plumed lady locked eyes with the skeleton boy. “Sans, let me be straight with you. I'm not sure I like the idea of Alphys living here,” she began, in a serious voice. “It's been six years, and your father's still...” She pointed her wing at the doctor, sleeping fully clothed on the couch at 6PM. “Recovering.”

“Hmm,” Sans muttered. “Well, I guess we could always just send her back to wherever she came from.”

Mrs. Drake shook her head. “I'm not sure if that's an option.” She paused for thought, then smiled through her teeth, her usual cheerful and motherly voice returning. “I suppose we're just going to have to support him, for her sake.” She nodded at Sans decisively. “For now, can you fix dinner while I go run a bath? Something quick.”

Sans wanted to decline, but the idea of being able to let go of the fluffball currently kicking his side was too much to take. “Hot dogs sound okay?”

Mrs. Drake nodded. “Good thinking, Sans,” she said in a voice so sickly sweet and encouraging that it would've been patronizing, had it not come from her beak. She then walked up to Sans, wings open. “Let me just take Snowy back.” Sans did so gladly.

Soon, Sans had a pan on the magical heat, water sausages frying up nicely, buns toasting in the oven. The kitchen table was set with four seats, condiments at the ready. If there was one thing Sans was proud of, it was his hot dogs, and not even some upstart little handbag-to-be was going to ruin that for him. “Alright! Dinner's ready! Come get your hot dog on!”

Again, a door opened, as tiny footsteps echoed across the house. “SANS! SANS!” shouted Papyrus, as the two brothers met in the living room. He was holding something small and yellow in his hands.

“What is it, Pap?” asked Sans.

“LOOK, SANS! SHE FIXED IT!” Papyrus raised the small yellow RC car to right under Sans' nose. The one Gaster had brought back from the dump, which Sans wasn't able to fix. Alphys stood by the staircase, the controller in her hands.

Sans squinted his eyes. “No foolin'.”

“NO FOOLIN' AT ALL, BROTHER!” responded Papyrus. He set the car down on the floor, and ran up to his new friend. “COME ON, ALPHYS! SHOW HIM!” Alphys responded with an affirmative noise of some kind, and as she began toying with the controller the car flew into motion, driving in circles on the living room floor. Gaster continued to snooze.

Sans kept his eye on the car before turning his attention to Alphys, who looked at him, a proud grin on her face as the car came to a stop. “YOU SEE, SANS? SHE IS SMART! AS SMART AS YOU!” With that shout, Papyrus put his arm around Alphys' shoulder and nyeh-heh-heh'd boisterously, the lizard's face turning red. Sans, on the other hand, felt his soul sink. Little smug runt thinks she can get Papyrus to replace him, too? Darn kid needs an attitude adjustment. Sans balled his hands into tight fists, which began to shake at his sides.

Before Sans had the chance to say anything, the bathroom door opened, Mrs. Drake and son emerging. She glanced over to the two kids, and let out a contented sigh. “You kids having fun?”

“HECK YEAH!” exploded Papyrus. Alphys nodded profusely.

“That's good,” Mrs. Drake continued, smiling. “You can play more later. It's time for dinner.” Papyrus groaned, while Alphys' spines perked up. Soon, the car and remote control had been placed on the corner table, and the skeleton and the lizard both ran into the kitchen.

However, as Sans began to follow suit, she heard Mrs. Drake speak up behind him. “Is everything alright, Sans? You seem upset.”

“I'm, uh.” Sans thought a second. “I'm cool, thanks.” Mrs. Drake chortled.

Soon, the entire crew had entered the kitchen. “Oh, Sans, you've set things up very nicely,” Mrs. Drake said, glowing. Sans rubbed the back of his head before sitting down, Papyrus climbing on the seat next to his, Mrs. Drake, still holding Snowy under one of her wings, sitting opposite.

When Alphys began to clumsily climb on the seat between Sans and Mrs. Drake, Sans quickly and very matter-of-factly told her: “Oh, sorry, Alph. You can't sit there.” She faced Sans with a shocked expression. “That's the doc's seat. Y'know, in case he wakes up and wants a snack.”

“O-oh. Um.” Alphys stopped climbing, head sinking. “S-sorry...”

“Sans!” Mrs. Drake's head instantly snapped to Sans's. Her gaze practically pierced Sans' soul. Papyrus, similarly, gave Sans a mean look.

“H-hey, now, it was just a joke, alright?” Sans nervously explained. “Feel free to sit down, uh, anywhere you like.” You lizard piece of trash, he added inwardly.

Alphys forced a laugh, and finally managed to heave herself up despite her short stature as Mrs. Drake and Papyrus stopped glowering. As Alphys marveled at Sans' hot dogs, her eyes glistened and her mouth watered like they were the greatest delicacy she'd laid eyes on in a long time. Darn right, thought Sans.

Sans took a quick look around the table. Papyrus was busy very prim-and-properly using a fork and a knife on one of his 'dogs, while Mrs. Drake was trying to shove one down Snowy's throat, to no avail. His eyes then locked on to a ketchup bottle he had set on the table that had so far gone untouched, and thought that his chance had come. As Alphys was about to bite into one of her hot dogs, Sans reached onto the table, and held out the bottle at Alphys' general direction. “Ketchup, Alphys?”

Alphys, jaw still wide open, nervously stared at the bottle before setting her 'dog back down on her plate. “U-um, yes, thank you.” Of course her ego wouldn't allow her to decline. Sans placed the bottle in Alphys' shaking hand. When she tipped it over one the hot dog she was trying to eat, the bottle cap fell off, spilling the contents of the entire bottle onto her plate. A perfect execution, thought Sans, as the room very quickly went quiet until only little high-pitched breaths could be heard.

First, Sans looked at Papyrus, who was staring at Alphys, his usual smile and optimism gone. He then looked at Mrs. Drake, who had dropped her hot dog, her jaw shaking as Snowy looked around, generally confused. Finally, Sans looked at Alphys, who stared at her plate, her hands grabbing ahold of the table, eyes blinking rapidly, her shoulders going up and down with each sniffle. Suddenly, Sans felt a certain rottenness inside his soul.

Mrs. Drake very slowly turned her head towards Sans, nostrils flaring, her teeth rotating in her mouth like buzzsaws. Papyrus looked upon his brother with a very, very sad expression. However, before either had the chance to say anything, Alphys let out a raspy breath, which turned into a “Ha. Ha.” All eyes were on her once again as her snout quivered and her eyes watered. “C-c-clumsy me! Ha. Ha.” Sans sunk in his chair.

“UM, ALPHYS,” Papyrus said, smiling nervously. “THAT'S OKAY! YOU CAN JUST HAVE MINE.”

Alphys hiccuped. She then plunged her hands into the ketchup, grabbed a hot dog and chomped on it. Her nose wrinkled, her eyes shut tight, and she slightly gagged before forcefully swallowing. It was at this point that Mrs. Drake set Snowy down on the floor and quickly made her way around the table.

Snowy responded with an alarmed “Weh.”

“Now, then. First, let's make this right,” she began, in as calm a tone as she could manage. She swapped Sans and Alphys' plates, then looked Sans right in the eye with a stare that made his entire body waver. “Outside, Sans. Now.” He was compelled to follow.

Mrs. Drake shut the door behind herself. She and Sans stood on the porch for a moment, a cool wind blowing through. She then took a deep breath, composing herself. “Alright, Sans. What were you thinking?”

Sans had his arms crossed, and was slightly hunching over. He avoided the woman's eye, and felt very cold, despite not having skin. “Cool it, okay? It was just a joke.”

Mrs. Drake circled around Sans to keep her eyes on his. “Sans, don't make such a childish excuse. You know perfectly well that you weren't just joking.”

Sans stammered. “I wanted to teach her a lesson,” he finally managed to utter.

“And why is that?” The woman's voice was serious, yet somehow comforting.

Sans' hands balled into fists again, and he began to rant. “Because, some lousy rich kid from the capital just coming in like she owns the place and then she's the doctor's new apprentice, and then she and Papyrus are friends, and she does stuff I can't do, and...” His enthusiasm petered out, and he sighed desperately before sitting down on the doorstep. “I just don't like it.”

Mrs. Drake quickly placed her wing on Sans's shivering shoulder. “Sans, are you afraid that she's going to replace you?”

Sans' head sunk. "I guess."

“Sans, you're being very silly right now,” he heard her say. “I know your father's been very busy, but he still loves you very much. And I'm sure you know that, too.” Sans slowly nodded. “And as for your brother, well, he loves everybody. He won't be 'replacing' you anytime soon. After all, without you, who would read him his bedtime story?” He nodded again.

“And, as for Alphys...” Her voice was now much more somber. “Do you really think that she's 'some lousy rich kid'?”

“She said she lives in a big house,” Sans responded.

“And that doesn't seem strange to you, at all?” asked Mrs. Drake.

Sans thought about Alphys' torn dress, her broken glasses, the busted old machines Gaster had brought along, and how lightly she had packed, until finally having a thought. He opened his eyes, and looked up at Mrs. Drake, who was now standing right in front of him, both wings on his shoulders. “But why would she lie?” he asked, weakly.

“Hmm.” Mrs. Drake tilted her head. “Maybe she just wanted you to like her.”

Sans' eyes went blank, and his body creaked as he lurched downwards. “Oh.” Guilt crawled up his throat, he felt like his innards were freezing, and let out a hissing breath. Mrs. Drake wrapped both wings around him, and he leaned his head against her stomach. He felt a bit warmer.

They sat quietly in the cold Snowdin night for a while, until Sans finally began to try and break free. Mrs. Drake took a moment to let him go.

“You feeling alright, now?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he responded, rubbing the corner of his eye.

“Okay.” Mrs. Drake opened the door.

\---

On the racecar bed to Sans' right, Papyrus slept soundly, head stuck in a pillow. On the bed to Sans' left, Alphys, now wearing one of his shirts, which covered her from neck to toe, was curled comfortably under the blanket. In the middle of the room was Sans, lying on an old futon, still having trouble getting to sleep, going over the list of errands Mrs. Drake had written out for him for the next day.

Eventually, Sans came to the conclusion that the only recourse to this situation was a midnight snack. After all, he had just gone to bed without dinner. With Doggo-eluding silence he picked himself up and sneaked out of the room. When Sans came downstairs, however, he saw a tall figure at the door. “Wait, doc,” he whispered.

Doctor Gaster turned around on the spot. A thin smile appeared on his skeletal face. “Sans, my boy, my pride. Did Alphys settle in nicely?”

Sans thought about what to say, and shrugged. “It was a hassle, but she seems pretty satisfied, now.” An awkward moment of silence. “Mrs. Drake said she'd call up everyone she can so we can find her some warm clothes and stuff. She was, uh.” Another. “Pretty mad that you didn't think of that.”

Gaster simply blinked in response. “Oh. Yes, yes, I see.” He rubbed his forehead with his index finger. “I suppose bringing her home was... It was somewhat of an impulse decision.”

Sans nodded. “I figured.” Again, they stood silently together in the dark living room. “When do you think the CORE will be fixed?” Sans spoke with a pleading voice.

Gaster stepped forward, and kneeled to Sans' level. “Won't be long, now. Not with this.” He held the boxy contraption that Alphys couldn't explain in his hands. “A magic-electric converter. Used to power surface electronics with manual magical energy. A primitive, pre-Semi design, built by hand.” He rotated it in his hands, eyeing every detail. “The girl is smart. With proper training, she'll be an asset.”

Sans looked at the converter, then at Gaster. “What's so special about this thing?”

Gaster's hands stopped. “Well. Nothing, really.” He wistfully faced the ceiling. “But it gave me inspiration. And that is good.”

The doctor's mind began to wander into itself, until Sans cut off his train of thought. "Where did you find her?” He asked.

Doctor Gaster's entire body froze for a moment. He then placed his hand on top of Sans' skull. “I'll tell you someday, but for now, I'm needed elsewhere.” He then stood up straight, and turned to the door. “Tell Papyrus I'm very sorry we couldn't talk." Sadness permeated from his voice.

Sans nodded weakly. “I guess you were just too bone tired.”

Gaster chuckled. "Yes, I suppose." He stepped outside, and took a shortcut. Sans closed the door behind him.


	2. Warm Gazes, Broken Souls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alphys has a check-up.

“Um, i-is he s-still gonna be mad a-after we get back?” asked Alphys as she trailed just behind Sans while they waddled through Snowdin Town. The hand-me-down winter clothes Mrs. Drake had brought in that morning weighed heavily on her back, the bottom of her red woolly coat dragging on the snow and her green knit cap almost covering her eyes completely.

“What, Pap?” responded Sans, hands in his blue jacket's pockets. He turned his head, smiling. “Nah, he'll be fine. He's cool like that.” His eyes touched the top of his sockets. “Besides, I guess I kind of deserve it. For, y'know.”

Alphys answered with a weak hum, head low. “I-I'm sorry,” she meekly apologized.

Sans groaned and stopped, making a full turn. Alphys, eyes covered, her head still low, almost ran into him. “Don't you worry about that, alright? It's just you and me, today.” Without moving her head, she quietly stared at him. “And, uh, not like yesterday. We're gonna have a real good time.”

Alphys furrowed her brow. “G-go-going to the d-doctor isn't a g-good time,” she bitterly muttered.

“We'll have a good time after!” Sans exclaimed, arms outstretched to the sky. He took a good look at the still-unconvinced Alphys and sighed deeply. “C'mon, Alph. We've got an appointment.” She wordlessly followed when he began making his way.

They walked past small wooden houses and sheds, with no lights on in any of them. The blackout from that morning was still in effect, it seemed. Eventually, they arrived at Snowdin Clinic.

The two entered a small, dark waiting room, a line of chair set up against the wall by the window, ending with a small table covered in old magazines, newspapers and word searches. Some of the lamps were still on, meaning that the emergency generator was still running.

The only other person present was the receptionist, a fawn-looking teen monster in trendy clothes. She sat behind the counter, absentmindedly flipping through a magazine. Sans strolled on over, followed by Alphys, holding her cap against her chest. Sans' head barely managed to reach the top of the counter, while Alphys was much too short. “Hello? We have an appointment,” he said, waving his hand in the air.

The fawn's eyes turned from her reading material to the waving skeletal hand. She rolled her eyes, set her magazine down, and stood up, peeking over the counter. “Appointment for, uh...” She rummaged through her pants pocket, pulling out a small notebook. She flipped the pages. “Al... phys? Just a checkup?”

Sans nodded. “That's the plan.”

“Alright,” the receptionist mumbled. “Doctor Seez will see you-”

“I heard that!” A deep and gravely, yet unmistakenly feminine voice from behind the half-open door cut the fawn off, and she breathed through her teeth.

“...Will be with you shortly.” Sans grinned. Alphys couldn't help but do the same. “You two just take a seat and she'll come pick you up.” The receptionist pointed at the chairs by the window before returning to her magazine.

The two sat down next to one another. Sans crossed his arms and laid back, while Alphys sat on the edge, her hands sitting on her lap, wringing her cap as she stared at the wall with a grim expression. Sans glanced at her, and sat up straight. “You don't like doctors, or something?”

Alphys shook her head. “N-no. E-except for Mr. S-Serif.” Her grip tightened.

Sans rubbed the back of his head. He crouched down slightly, until they were at head level, and gave her a smile. “Well, um, in that case, don't worry. Seez has the Gaster seal of approval.”

It was then that the half-open door opened fully. “Alphys?” From the room, a small doctor's office, emerged a round monster, light pink in color, with a single, massive eye on her torso, stuck between a toothy smile, rosy cheeks and a pair of horns. She was around Sans' height, wearing a doctor's coat, and holding a notepad in one hand and a pencil in another. “I'm ready for you. Please, come right in.”

“Ah,” Sans uttered, hopping up from his chair. Alphys, on the other hand, strengthened her grasp even further, hands shaking, as she pulled her feet back, her heels almost touching the seat's bottom. “Let's just get it over with, Alph.”

Alphys managed a weak “Mm-hm,” before finally dropping down, dragging her feet as she followed Sans into the room. The office was a small one, a neatly organized desk on the left side corner, an exam table with a small stepladder on the right. To most monsters, the room would seem almost cozy, but Alphys chose to stare at her hands, an uncertain frown on her lips. When Dr. Seez closed the door behind her, she immediately straightened up with a short gasp.

“I was hoping to see Gaster with her,” Seez began as she made her way to the desk, pulling out the swivel chair and taking a seat. “But I'm assuming that he's unavailable, since Drake sent you in his place.”

Sans shrugged. “He's been busy.”

“I see.” Sans stifled a giggle when Seez' eye pierced through his skull. “You didn't happen to bring any papers with you?”

Sans shrugged, and turned her head to Alphys to avoid the doctor's stare. “I woulda if I coulda. All the doc brought was her and some random stuff.” He noticed she was having trouble with her coat, and began unbuttoning it despite her protests as she squirmed embarrassedly.

Seez furrowed her monobrow. “Well, that's going to be trouble. With the Undernet down, I can't check any medical records.”

“So, you're going to have to take a Loox-Seez without them?” Sans guffawed with a wink and a shrug.

Seez closed her single eye with a hiss, gnashing her teeth, before shaking her head and giving a small, relieved chuckle. “It's good to see you're healthy, Sans.” She opened her eye again, and focused it on the small lizard girl, wearing her now clean, but still very ratty grey dress. “So, you must be Alphys, right?”

Alphys' spines twitched. “U-um. Y-yeah.”

“It is very nice to meet you,” she said, holding out her hand, smiling from cheek to cheek. Alphys stared at the hand, then at the monster, before finally managing to extend hers, and they shook on it. “Can you climb up there for me?” she asked, pointing to the examination table. She watched as Alphys climbed to the top, using the stepladder, before beginning to scan through her notes. “For now, we'll just do a full check-up on you to see if you're healthy.” Her eye turned to Sans. “As for you, I'd like you to just wait in the lobby until we finish.”

“Fine by me,” Sans sighed. Alphys fiddled with her fingers nervously, squeezing tightly on her left hand with her right as she watched Sans go.

“Alright, then, Alphys,” Seez began. “I'm going to ask you some questions, and I'd like you to answer truthfully. Can you do that for me?”

When Alphys looked at Seez' stare, her stomach turned in fear. “D-do I, uh, have to?”

Seez wrote down _secretive_ in her notes. “If there's any question you don't want to answer, just say _pass_ , okay?”

Alphys fidgeted for a moment, before very slowly nodding. “O-okay,” she muttered.

Seez gave her a toothy grin. “That's a good girl.” She scanned over her notepad. “Drake told me that you were ten years old, and lived at New Home. Is this correct?” Alphys nodded again. “What's your family like?”

Alphys gasped, as if something just stabbed through her body. She shook her head. “P-pass. Pass, please.”

Seez squinted her eye. “Alright.” She underscored _secretive_. “Have you been ill, recently? Any allergies or health problems?”

Alphys opened her mouth before stopping herself, biting her tongue. She grabbed the edges of the exam table. “I-I dunno.”

Seez hummed contemplatively. “Are you sure you can't remember? It's very important.”

“P-pass,” Alphys responded, shaking her head. “I'm s-sorry.”

Seez took a deep breath, and tapped her notepad with the tip of her pencil. This line of questioning wasn't getting her any results, and so, she decided to change angles. “What do you usually like to eat, Alphys?”

“U-um!” Alphys perked up right away. “One time, I-I was a-at the garbage du-dump, the one in, uh, Water- Waterfall, an-and I found, I found...” She waved her hands in the air. “A bi-big box th-that had lots of packets of noodles!” As quickly as her hands had gone up, they went down. An awkward smile appeared on Alphys' face with a blush. “S-so, I've, uh, been eating, eating those.”

“Just instant noodles?” Seez asked, worried.

Alphys' smile disappeared. She put her hands onto her lap, and stared at them. “A lot of t-the time.”

Seez wrote down _malnutrition._ “Do you eat lunch at school?”

“U-um.” Alphys shook her head. “No.”

Seez underscored _malnutrition_ _._ “Why not?”

Alphys shook her head again. “Pass.”

Figuring that she'd found another dead end, Seez, with a thoughtful “Hmm,” changed gears yet again. “What do you think about Doctor Gaster?”

“Mr. Serif?” Alphys' mouth opened wide. Her eyes glistened. “He- He's, um, he's s-smart, an- and he said I was, uh, smart, too, and im-por-tant. And that's...” She fidgeted in her seat. “He-he's a great person,” she finally stated.

Seez began to write. “Have you been getting along with Sans?”

Alphys' expression froze. “U-um. I hope so,” she began in a hushed tone. “He-he's really smart, Mr. Serif said so, an-and I want him t-to like me, but...” She stopped mid-sentence, head hanging low.

“But what?” asked Seez, who continued to scrawl on the notepad.  
“B-but he pro-probably thinks I'm a b-burden,” Alphys said, agonized. “He's older, an-and strong, a-and I'm, I'm weak, and st-stupid...”

Before Alphys had the chance to go on, she was cut off. “Is that what you really think of yourself?” Seez was almost shouting.

Alphys sat there quietly for a good five seconds before answering. “P-pass.”

Seez looked at her notes, and her forehead creased from what she saw. She gazed at the lizard sitting on the examination table, who pretended to look out the window with a sad frown. The doctor had one last question up her sleeve, however. “What do you like to do on your spare time?”

Alphys finally managed to look her in the eye. “O-oh, I like to, uh...” As she began reciting things, a small smile grew on her face. “I like to go to the d-dump a-and find neat st-stuff. And w-watch u-um, anime! A-and, I like to, um, f-fix junk.” She went on like this for a while.

“Well, you sound like a very bright young lady to me,” Seez cheerfully chirped as Alphys finished, her yellow scales turning slightly red, her smile growing wider.

The checkup went without much of a hitch, Alphys following instructions carefully, and each time she was praised for this, she seemed to stand up just a bit straighter. Finally, as Alphys sat on the exam table, kicking her feet in the air, the tip of her tail wagging against the wall, Doctor Seez went through her notes.

Alphys was shorter than appropriate for her age, and somewhat too light. Her eyesight was very poor, and her cracked glasses weren't much help. Her overbite was going to require braces. Beyond that, however, she was a healthy monster child. As for her past, however... “U-um, ex-excuse me, doctor, are we, uh, done?” Alphys asked in a slightly giddy tone.

“Oh, we still have to check your magic,” Seez off-handedly explained as she opened a drawer.

Alphys' feet suddenly banged together, and she took a high-pitched breath as her tail went up in full attention. “O-oh! Of c-course. S-stupid me.” She folded her arms and stared at her feet.

Seez stopped, turning back to the girl sitting on the table. “Is there something wrong with that? Most kids love this part.”

Alphys's glanced her eyes at Seez, her body still tense. “Oh, no no no, of course not.” She flashed a shaky grin, which soon became a drooping frown. “C-can I j-just p-pass on this one, t-too?”

Seez closed her one eye, and shook her head, or, rather, her entire body. “I'm afraid not.” Her eye opened halfway, as she smiled as comfortingly as she could. “Don't worry, it won't hurt.”

Alphys' sigh turned into a whimper. “O-okay.”

The doctor, now somewhat worried, rummaged through the cupboard before pulling out what looked like a small, flat black tile with a white border. She held it in both hands in front of the nervous lizard. “Do you know what this is?”

“It's a s-semigraph,” Alphys replied in a hushed voice. “U-um, created by S-Semi Serif. Mr. S-Serif's dad. For s-soul ex-examination.”

“That's right,” Seez answered back, hoping a similar reaction to her earlier compliments. No such luck. She held the tile up, and tapped the white border facing towards the ground. The semigraph made a strange noise, and when Seez let go, it stayed still exactly where it was, eerily floating in the air. She then grabbed the on two corners before pulling at them, causing the tile to expand. Finally, she tapped the black center with her finger.

The semigraph flickered as it came into life, and very soon, something came into view in the black void. It was a gently pulsing white object in the shape of an upside-down heart: Dr. Seez's soul. “There we go. Let me show you how it works.”

Seez took a step back. “First, just think about moving your soul, and...” The soul on the semigraph began to move around in circle. “There.” She clutched a fist. “Then, just focus your magic on your soul.” From her soul, a bullet pattern of white rings spread out, bouncing off the walls of the box. “Very simple.” With another tap, the soul and the bullets disappeared, leaving a blank slate. Seez grabbed the borders, and pushed the semigraph towards Alphys. “Now you try.”

Alphys peered at the box floating in front of her with a very dark expression. She glanced at the door, and thought about just running and hiding. “Come now, Alphys. There's nothing to be scared of,” Seez goaded. Slowly, Alphys raised her hand, and tapped the dark space with her stubby fingers. The machine flickered, and her soul came into view. “Oh my,” the doctor whispered.

Compared to Seez' soul, Alphys' soul was fairly small, its color a dull grey. It sat unmoving on the middle of the tile, as still as the semigraph itself, while Alphys stared at it, crestfallen. Seez looked at her notes, and began writing once again. “Can you move it?” She lifted her eye to see Alphys with a creased forehead, trying her hardest to move the heart on the screen, hands balling into fists on her knees. But nothing happened.

Seez then went around the floating screen, standing by Alphys' side. “Can you show me your magic, Alphys?” she asked, keeping an even voice. Alphys took a sharp breath. She lifted her hands up, holding them in the air as if trying to grab the soul itself, and continued to stare at it, her whole body shaking. Nothing happened. Seez scratched in more data. “Alphys, can you-”

“I can't!” she finally cried out, head held towards the ceiling. “I'm sorry, I'm s-sorry, I'm sorry,” she began to echo, eyes shut tight, hands on her head, breathing erratically.

The doctor quickly set her notes down. “It's alright, Alphys!” She blurted as she grabbed Alphys' hand off her head, holding it tightly. “It's alright. Everything's fine.” She massaged the small hand with her thumbs. Slowly, Alphys' breathing calmed down, and her hands and tail went limp. With baited breath, Seez turned to the semigraph, tapping its top. The grey soul vanished, replaced by lines of text and numbers. _LV 1. EXP 0._ Seez' eye rapidly twitched as she went through the data, until found what she was looking for. Her fears confirmed, she grabbed her notepad, writing down her findings, before turning her attention back to the lizard child. “Why didn't you tell me that you have trouble with magic, Alphys?”

“I-I'm sorry,” Alphys quavered weakly.

“It's fine, Alphys, it really is,” Seez responded, stroking Alphys' hand. She thought for a moment. “Do you know the reason?”

Alphys weakly looked into Seez' eye, before turning her head to the floor. “M-mama said it's b-because I'm...” Alphys looked as though the entire world was weighing heavily on her back as she breathlessly waited for the next word come to her. “D-deff-FEC-tive.” Her voice was devoid of hope.

\---

Sans, marker in hand, was just about to finish off the now-moustached and sombrero'd Ice-E with a bunch of stinklines, but was interrupted as the office door opened and Dr. Seez emerged. “Sans? You may come in, now.” Her tired voice and expression had Sans leaving the mutt un-stunk. The almost catatonic Alphys sitting on the exam table, staring off into space, had him shoving his hands into his pockets nervously. 

Seez tapped her now-full notepad with the tip of her pencil. “Now, Sans, I want you to listen carefully.” Sans gulped. “Until I get those medical records, there's not much to go off on. However, based on what I have found today, I'm diagnosing Alphys with MDS.”

MDS, MDS. Sans rolled those letters in his head. Magical Disfunction Syndrome. “So, you're sayin'-”

“I know what I'm saying,” Seez interjected. “Beyond that, she's going to need a new pair of glasses, braces, and tender love and care.” She grabbed a letter that had been set on the table, and handed it over to the skeleton. “This contains a set of instructions, along with my findings. I want you to give this to Gaster, or, failing that, to Mrs. Drake. And that's... All I can do, for now.”

Sans flipped the letter in his hands. “Uh. Okay.” He shoved it down his jacket's pocket, and took a good look at Alphys, who continued to look off into the distance. “You okay there?” Alphys whimpered in response, lowering her snout hopelessly.

Seez grabbed ahold of her hand again. “I'm sorry I made you remember... All that.” She paused, forcing a nervous smile. “But things are going to get better for you. You see?" She pointed at her single, massive eye. Not even Sans could force a laugh.

Back out on the town, Alphys remained unconvinced, her tail barely hovering over the snow as she wordlessly trailed far behind Sans, her teeth clattering, her skin a sickly pale yellow. Sans held the letter in his hands, and stared at it with a furrowed brow. He looked over his shoulder, saw Alphys' pained face, thought about the letters MDS, and felt a connection. He sighed.

Sans stopped, turning around. “Y'know, Alph, there's something you should know.” Alphys inattentively kept walking right ahead. “I'm not exactly, uh, super-strong, either.” She stopped on her tracks, and looked up, her cap covering her tired eyes. Sans put his hands in his pockets, and looked at the stony Underground 'sky.' “So, you don't gotta worry about your, uh, thing. I don't mind.”

Alphys stared at Sans with half-closed eyes. “I-I'm sorry,” she finally managed to stutter.

Sans rolled his eyes. “Geez. You keep using that word and it'll lose its meaning.”

“I-I'm-” Alphys cut herself off, and fell silent. Her jaw shook as she breathed heavily.

“Dang it, Alph.” Sans sighed in exasperation. He turned back around to face the road. “Listen, I said we were gonna have a good time, right? So let's go have a good time already.” With that, he kept on walking. Alphys followed just a bit closer. Sans hoped a bit of shopping would cheer the lizard up, because god knew he had no idea what he was going to do otherwise.

\---

Gaster took a sip of his tea, sitting on the flower-covered floor of the throne room, the great king Asgore sitting across from him. “She had already fallen down when I arrived, she had. I did all I could.”

Asgore stared into his cup. “And so, you took Alphys home with you.”

“Yes...” Gaster nodded, taking another sip. “She is gifted. If I hadn't, it would have been... A waste.”

“A waste?” Asgore grit his teeth, and raised his voice. “Doctor, you're talking about a little girl like she's some thing!”

The doctor took another sip, and very calmly looked the agitated boss monster in the eyes. “...Sir. I am still a monster.” He held his free hand to his chest. “Love, hope, and, and, compassion. Those run through my soul, same as any other.” He balled it into a fist. “Finding her in such a state, I could not simply...” He trailed off, before taking another sip.

Asgore breathed in deeply, and sighed twice as deep. “Very well, then. I'll trust your judgement, doctor.”

“Will that be all, sir?” Gaster tried to take another sip, but his cup was empty. He set it down on the golden flowers, and took a stand. “The CORE, the CORE needs my full attention.”

Asgore looked at Gaster, who nervously smiled, grabbing at his lab coat, still worn over his... “How long have you been wearing that suit, Wingdin?”

Gaster closed his eyes, and took a wavering breath. “Please. Call me Gaster.” He turned to leave, and took a shortcut. Asgore looked where Gaster had stood, and stared in his tea once again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was gonna be longer, but I ended up just splitting it into two chapters.
> 
> I'm regretting giving the first chapter a name. I am garbage at those.

**Author's Note:**

> Assuming I don't abandon this mid-run, we should be in for a wild ride, ladies and gentlemen.


End file.
